USA knocked out of FIFA World Cup 2026 after 4-1 thrashing by Belgium

1 min readUpdated: Jul 7, 2026 07:41 AM IST

A packed Seattle Stadium fell silent on Tuesday as co-hosts USA were sent crashing out of the FIFA World Cup 2026, suffering a crushing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 16.

Belgium, the 2018 World Cup bronze medalists, cruised into the quarterfinals and now set up a clash with Spain for a place in the last four.

The Red Devils were clearly the superior side, registering nine more shots on target and producing a significantly higher expected goals (xG) tally than their overwhelmed opponents. The Americans had no answer to Belgium’s relentless attacking runs, as goals from Charles De Ketelaere, Hans Vanaken, and Romelu Lukaku resulted in a thoroughly dominant display.